Family and friends remember Dr. King as a role model and dedicate themselves to his mission.
Watkins, Dr. King’s niece, has assembled their writings and excerpts from their speeches. All pay tribute to his spirit, abiding faith and dedication to the cause of civil rights, and they affirm their own commitment to “following the path he walked,” as his nephew, Derek B. King, states. King’s father’s remarks are excerpted from his autobiography. The chapter for Dr. King’s mother quotes from and reproduces a loving letter he wrote to her in 1948. There is no entry from Coretta Scott King. Those who knew him personally consistently refer to him as playful, loving and caring. This is, however, not a biography; his campaign for civil rights is not specifically detailed, nor is there any discussion of his assassination or funeral. Similarly, the many handsomely reproduced and arranged photographs depict the Kings at family events and gatherings. The concluding chapter showcases the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial on the National Mall.
This attractive title is infused with a dominant aura of faith and devotion to God’s work; it should be useful in Sunday school settings and as a pictorial supplement. (foreword by Andrew Young, afterword of beatitudes, brief biographies of contributors, index) (Essays. 12-18)